1.
Western (genre)
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Cowboys and gunslingers typically wear Stetson hats, bandannas, spurs, cowboy boots and buckskins. Other characters include Native Americans, bandits, lawmen, bounty hunters, outlaws, mounted cavalry, settlers, Westerns often stress the harshness of the wilderness and frequently set the action in an arid, desolate landscape of deserts and mountains. Often, the vast landscape plays an important role, presenting a. mythic vision of the plains, specific settings include ranches, small frontier towns, saloons, railways and isolated military forts of the Wild West. Many Westerns use a plot of depicting a crime, then showing the pursuit of the wrongdoer, ending in revenge and retribution. The Western was the most popular Hollywood genre, from the early 20th century to the 1960s, Western films first became well-attended in the 1930s. John Fords landmark Western adventure Stagecoach became one of the biggest hits in 1939, Westerns were very popular throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the most acclaimed Westerns were released during this time – including High Noon, Shane, The Searchers, the Western depicts a society organized around codes of honor and personal, direct or private justice–frontier justice–dispensed by gunfights. These honor codes are played out through depictions of feuds or individuals seeking personal revenge or retribution against someone who has wronged them. The popular perception of the Western is a story that centers on the life of a semi-nomadic wanderer, a showdown or duel at high noon featuring two or more gunfighters is a stereotypical scene in the popular conception of Westerns. In some ways, such protagonists may be considered the descendants of the knight errant which stood at the center of earlier extensive genres such as the Arthurian Romances. And like knights errant, the heroes of Westerns frequently rescue damsels in distress, similarly, the wandering protagonists of Westerns share many characteristics with the ronin in modern Japanese culture. The Western typically takes these elements and uses them to tell simple morality tales, Westerns often stress the harshness and isolation of the wilderness and frequently set the action in an arid, desolate landscape. Apart from the wilderness, it is usually the saloon that emphasizes that this is the Wild West, it is the place to go for music, women, gambling, drinking, brawling and shooting. The American Film Institute defines western films as those set in the American West that embodies the spirit, the struggle, the term Western, used to describe a narrative film genre, appears to have originated with a July 1912 article in Motion Picture World Magazine. Most of the characteristics of Western films were part of 19th century popular Western fiction and were firmly in place before film became an art form. Protagonists ride between dusty towns and cattle ranches on their trusty steeds, Western films were enormously popular in the silent film era. With the advent of sound in 1927-28, the major Hollywood studios rapidly abandoned Westerns, leaving the genre to smaller studios and these smaller organizations churned out countless low-budget features and serials in the 1930s. Released through United Artists, Stagecoach made John Wayne a mainstream star in the wake of a decade of headlining B westerns

2.
Cinema of the United States
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The cinema of the United States, often metonymously referred to as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. The dominant style of American cinema is Classical Hollywood Cinema, which developed from 1917-1960, while the French Lumière Brothers are generally credited with the birth of modern cinema, it is American cinema that soon became the most dominant force in an emerging industry. Since the 1920s, the American film industry has grossed more money every year than that of any other country, in 1878, Eadweard Muybridge demonstrated the power of photography to capture motion. In 1894, the worlds first commercial motion picture exhibition was given in New York City, the United States was in the forefront of sound film development in the following decades. Since the early 20th century, the U. S. film industry has largely been based in and around Hollywood, Los Angeles, director D. W. Griffith was central to the development of film grammar. Orson Welless Citizen Kane is frequently cited in critics polls as the greatest film of all time. T, the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Titanic, Avatar, The Avengers, Furious 7, Jurassic World, and Star Wars, The Force Awakens. Today, American film studios collectively generate several hundred movies every year, muybridges accomplishment led inventors everywhere to attempt to make similar devices that would capture such motion. In the United States, Thomas Edison was among the first to produce such a device, the history of cinema in the United States can trace its roots to the East Coast where, at one time, Fort Lee, New Jersey was the motion picture capital of America. The industry got its start at the end of the 19th century with the construction of Thomas Edisons Black Maria, in 1909, a forerunner of Universal Studios, the Champion Film Company, built the first studio. They were quickly followed by others who either built new studios or who leased facilities in Fort Lee, such notables as Mary Pickford got their start at Biograph Studios. In New York, the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, was built during the silent film era, was used by the Marx Brothers, the Edison Studios were located in the Bronx. Chelsea, Manhattan was also frequently used, other major centers of film production also included Chicago, Florida, Texas, California, and Cuba. The film patents wars of the early 20th century led to the spread of film companies across the U. S and they started filming on a vacant lot near Georgia Street in downtown Los Angeles. While there, the decided to explore new territories, traveling several miles north to Hollywood. Griffith then filmed the first movie shot in Hollywood, In Old California, a Biograph melodrama about California in the 19th century. Griffith stayed there for months and made several films before returning to New York, after hearing about Griffiths success in Hollywood, in 1913, many movie-makers headed west to avoid the fees imposed by Thomas Edison, who owned patents on the movie-making process. Nestor Studios of Bayonne, New Jersey, built the first studio in Hollywood in 1911, Californias more hospitable and cost-effective climate led to the eventual shift of virtually all filmmaking to the West Coast by the 1930s. In Los Angeles, the studios and Hollywood grew, before World War I, movies were made in several U. S. cities, but filmmakers gravitated to southern California as the industry developed

3.
The Alamo (2004 film)
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The Alamo is a 2004 American war film about the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. The screenplay is credited to Hancock, John Sayles, Stephen Gaghan, in contrast to the earlier 1960 film of the same name, the 2004 film attempts to depict the political points of view of both the Mexican and Texan sides, Santa Anna is a more prominent character. The film received mixed reviews by critics and was a massive box-office flop, the film then flashes back to a year earlier. Sam Houston attends a party where he tries to persuade people to migrate to Texas and he meets with David Crockett, recently defeated for reelection to Congress. Houston explains to Crockett that as an immigrant to Texas, Crockett will receive 640 acres of his own choosing, Crockett, with a grin, pointedly asks Houston whether this new republic is going to need a president. The Opposition Party seeks to rebuild the Texan army and establish a permanent government to be recognized by other nations of the world, the provisional government votes out Sam Houston as commander of the Texas army. While having drinks with Jim Bowie later, the disgusted Houston tells Bowie to go to San Antonio, William Barret Travis is also in San Felipe, reporting for duty. His character is established as a man who seeks respect as a uniformed military officer. Interlaced scenes show him granting his wife a divorce, and seeking to begin a new life in Texas, the Texas provisional government orders him to take command of the Alamo. There he meets Col. James Neill, who informs him that Travis will be in command of the Texas Army regulars while Neil is away on leave. Travis is alarmed that the Alamos small force cannot withstand the Mexican Army which is rumored to have thousands of foot soldiers, again he sends a rider to deliver his plea for reinforcements. As small groups of Texans arrive, Travis oversees defence preparations, Crockett arrives in San Antonio, where he tells a crowd, I told them folks youall can go to hell, Im going to Texas. Santa Anna soon arrives in San Antonio, much to the surprise of the Texan fighters, the Texans retire to the Alamo compound despite its vulnerability, and begin fortifying it as best they can. Amid the chaos Travis writes letters asking for reinforcements, only a couple dozen men arrive to join them. Santa Annas army surrounds the Alamo compound and the siege begins and this virtually ends the chance to forestall the Mexican attack and Bowie returns to tell Travis that Santa Anna has offered surrender at discretion. Travis offers all within the Alamo an opportunity to leave, almost to a man the defenders decide to stay and fight to the end. At least one remains, Mrs. Susanna Dickinson, whose husband. Bowie becomes debilitatingly ill and is bedridden in one of the buildings, for the next several nights the Mexican Army band serenades the Texans with the Degüello, followed by an artillery bombardment of the surrounded compound

4.
Along Came Jones (film)
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Along Came Jones is a 1945 Western comedy film starring Gary Cooper, Loretta Young, William Demarest, and Dan Duryea, in which Cooper mercilessly spoofs his own slow-talking cowboy persona. The movie was adapted by Nunnally Johnson from the novel Useless Cowboy by Alan Le May, much of the movie was shot at the widely filmed Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, Calif. This was the feature film produced by Cooper during his long movie career. Cooper had a Western town built at the ranch for Along Came Jones. Easygoing Melody Jones and his friend George Fury wander into a town, Jones is mistaken for a wanted bandit named Monte Jarrad, which causes him no end of trouble. Meanwhile, the real Jarrad is hiding out in the home of his girl, at first, she tries to use the newcomer to distract the townsfolk, but as she gets to know Jones, her feelings start to change. Janet Blair and Joel McCrea starred in the adaptation, in the film Cooper sings the song Im a poor lonesome cowboy, which would later be used as the signature song of Lucky Luke in the eponymous comics series by René Goscinny and Morris

5.
Abilene Town
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Abilene Town is a 1946 western film directed by Edwin L. Marin. The film stars Randolph Scott, Ann Dvorak, Lloyd Bridges, Rhonda Fleming, the movie is set in the Old West years immediately following the Civil War, in the cattle town of Abilene, Kansas. The story was adapted from Ernest Haycoxs book Trail Town, in the years following the Civil War, Kansas is in the middle of a difficult time. Homesteaders are moving into the west, trying to start new lives, in Abilene, one of the biggest cattle towns of the west, the town is on the brink of a confrontation between the cattlemen and the homesteaders. Marshall Dan Mitchell has the job of keeping the peace between the two groups, for a long time, the town had been divided, with the cattlemen and cowboys having one end of town to themselves, while townspeople occupied the other end. Mitchell liked it this way, it made easier for him. However, when homesteaders decide to lay stakes in the end of town, that balance is upset. Mitchell not only has the job of juggling the upcoming confrontation. Abilene Town Plot Abilene Town cast and plot Abilene Town at the Internet Movie Database Abilene Town is available for download at the Internet Archive

6.
Across the Wide Missouri (film)
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Across the Wide Missouri is a 1951 American Technicolor film based on historian Bernard DeVotos eponymous 1947 book. The film dramatizes an account of several fur traders and their interaction with the Native Americans, the film was directed by William A. Carrol Naish as Nez Perce Looking Glass, and Adolphe Menjou as Pierre. Howard Keel, as Mitchells son Chip Mitchell, narrates, in the 1830s in the Rocky Mountains, fur trapper Flint Mitchell meets at the summer rendezvous with other mountain men, cashing in his furs, drinking, and enjoying contests among his friends. Flint outbids Brecan for Kamiah, the granddaughter of Blackfoot medicine man Bear Ghost and adopted daughter of a Nez Perce chief, Brecan wants to return her to the Blackfoot, to promote peace between the tribes, while Flint wants to marry Kamiah and ensure the brigades safety. Pierre, a French Canadian trapper, and Captain Humberstone Lyon, another Scotsman, Kamiah successfully guides Flint and his men on their trek through the high passes filled with crippling snow drifts, and delivers them to the Blackfoot territory, where they build a stockade. Flint narrowly escapes capture and death at the hands of Ironshirt, a young Blackfoot prince and war chief, Ironshirt steals the brigades horses, but Flint impresses Bear Ghost, who orders them returned. Though he marries Kamiah for reasons other than love and cannot speak her language, as Flint and Kamiah grow closer, Flint and Bear Ghost become good friends. Bear Ghost prevents Ironshirt from harming Flint and his men, but catastrophe strikes when Roy DuNord, another of Flints men, in the spring, Kamiah gives birth to a boy, Chip. On the way to the rendezvous, the brigade is attacked by a war party under Ironshirt. With Chip strapped to its back, Kamiahs horse bolts during the attack and is chased by Ironshirt, Flint manages to kill Ironshirt, however, and rescue his son. As the years pass, Flint takes Chip to live in the Blackfoot camp, although Flint intends to have the boy formally educated in the East, Chip persuades him year after year to postpone his schooling, and he learns the ways of the mountains from his father. This injury recurred in 1993, which forced him into a wheelchair. The film was entirely on location in the Rocky Mountains, mostly at altitudes between 9,000 and 14,000 feet, north of Durango, Colorado near Purgatory and Molas Pass. The score for the film was composed and conducted by David Raksin, additional music was composed and/or adapted by Al Sendrey, and conducted by Johnny Green. Strongheart The complete score was issued on CD in 2009, on Film Score Monthly records, according to MGM records the film earned $2,789,00 in the US and Canada and $1,812,00 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $635,000

7.
The Adventures of Shorty
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The Adventures of Shorty is the name of a 1914 Western short film featuring Shorty Hamilton, and the general name for the series of similar short films it started. More than 30 two-reel Shorty titles were released between 1914 and 1917, all featured Hamilton as the Shorty character, a cowboy with a trained horse—his remarkably intelligent horse, Beauty. The films were produced by Thomas H. Ince, many were written by the veteran screenwriter C. Gardner Sullivan. The 1915 Shortys Ranch was the last entry from the original producers, directors in the series included Francis Ford and Jay Hunt. Aside from the horse, Hamiltons co-stars in the Shorty pictures included Enid Markey, Betty Burbridge. He is an actor who can make you laugh or lift you to the extreme pinnacle of nervous anticipation in the same breath. He never over-does anything and his extreme naturalness is refreshing, Shorty in the Tigers Den, is with us today and you will shake with laughter as Shorty tries to ride a motorcycle, which proves more uncontrollable to Shorty than a bucking pony

8.
The Alamo (1960 film)
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The Alamo is a 1960 American historical epic war film about the 1836 Battle of the Alamo produced and directed by John Wayne and starring Wayne as Davy Crockett. The picture also stars Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William B, the movie was photographed in 70 mm Todd-AO by William H. Clothier and released by United Artists, the film depicts the Battle of the Alamo and the events leading up to it. Sam Houston leads the forces fighting for Texas independence and needs time to build an army, the opposing Mexican forces, led by General Santa Anna, are numerically stronger and also better armed and trained. Nevertheless, the Texans have spirit and morale remains generally high, lieutenant Colonel William Travis is tasked with defending the Alamo, a former mission in San Antonio. Jim Bowie arrives with reinforcements and the dig in. Santa Annas armies arrive and surround the fort, Jim Bowie goes to Santa Anna under the peace flag, so Travis, angered by Jim Bowie, shoots a cannon at the armies, saying he will negotiate peace from a position of power only. In a nighttime raid, the Texans sabotage the Mexicans biggest cannon, the Texans maintain high hopes as they are told a strong force led by Colonel James Fannin is on its way to break the siege. Crockett, however, sensing an imminent attack, sends one of his men, Smitty. Crockett knows this will perhaps save Smittys life, the Mexicans frontally attack the Alamo. The defenders hold out and kill hundreds of charging Mexican soldiers, further boosting morale, the movie then depicts morale dropping when Travis tells his men that Fannins reinforcements have been ambushed, and, after surrendering, slaughtered by the Mexicans. Travis chooses to stay with his command and defend the Alamo, Crockett, Bowie and their men prepare to leave, but an inspired tribute by Travis convinces them to stay and fight to the end. On the thirteenth day of the siege, Santa Annas artillery bombards the Alamo, the entire Mexican army sweeps forward, attacking on all sides. The defenders kill dozens of charging Mexicans, but the attack is overwhelming, the Mexicans blast a hole in the Alamo wall and soldiers swarm through. Travis tries to rally the men but is shot and killed, Crockett leads the Texans in the final defense of the fort. The Mexicans take heavy losses, but swarm through and overwhelm the Texans, the Texans retreat to their final defensive positions. Crockett is killed in the chaos when he is run through by a lance, Bowie, in bed with his wound, kills several Mexicans but is bayoneted and dies. As the last Texan is killed, the Mexican soldiers discover the place of the wife

9.
3 Godfathers
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3 Godfathers is a 1948 American Western film directed by John Ford and filmed primarily in Death Valley, California. The screenplay, written by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings, is based on the novelette of the name written by Peter B. Ford had already adapted the film once before in 1919 as Marked Men, the original silent adaptation by Ford is thought to be lost today. The story is something of a retelling of the story of The Three Wise Men in an American Western context, Ford decided to remake the story in Technicolor and dedicate the film to the memory of long-time friend Harry Carey, who starred in the 1919 film Marked Men. Careys son, Harry Carey, Jr. plays one of the roles in this 1948 film. They eventually lose their horses in a sandstorm and end up walking. Desperate for water, they head for a hole, which has, however, been destroyed by the misguided efforts of a bumbling tenderfoot. In a covered wagon left nearby lies the wife, who is about to give birth. With the help of the trio, she has a boy, before dying, she extracts a promise from them that they will take care of him. Moved, the three try to keep their promise despite the acute lack of water. William is certain a higher power guided them there and likens their situation to the Three Magi finding the baby Jesus in a manger and he convinces the others to head for the town of New Jerusalem, which lies across a wide expanse of desert. While crossing a flat, William dies, later, Pete falls. He asks Robert to leave him his pistol, for protection from coyotes, as Robert walks away, he hears a single gunshot. Finally at the end of his strength, Robert nearly loses hope, but in his delirium and he contemptuously tosses away the womans Bible, then goes back for it and reads a passage telling of the appearance of a donkey and a colt. Just then, the actually show up. With their help, he finally reaches New Jerusalem and enters a cantina where people are singing Christmas carols, and then collapses just as Sheriff Sweet catches up with him. Robert is arrested, but because of his heroism and refusal to give up custody of his godson to the Sweets, he is viewed by the townspeople as a hero even before the trial comes to its conclusion. In the end, he is sentenced to the minimum of a year and his son, Harry Carey, Jr. played one of the title roles